1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and a method for storing an elongated plastically deformable member which use a take-up reel on which an elongated plastically deformable member is taken-up in a state of being superposed together with a liner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in order to store unvulcanized, green rubber used for the tread or the sidewalls or the like of a tire, there are methods in which an elongated green rubber member, which is extruded from an extruder and has a constant cross-sectional configuration, is stored in a state of being taken-up (wound) on a reel.
At this time, because the green rubber is tacky, if it is taken-up as is, the outer side of one layer of the wound green rubber sticks to the inner side of another layer of the wound green rubber.
As a result, generally, the green rubber member extruded from the extruder is taken-up in layers via a liner. That is, the liner is disposed between the respective wound layers of the green rubber, which prevents the layers from sticking to one another.
Generally, because an unvulcanized, green rubber is plastic, it tends to deform when mechanical stress is applied thereto. When the green rubber is taken-up together with the liner, the configuration of the green rubber deforms due to the tension of the liner and the weight of the green rubber itself.
In particular, the deformation caused by the weight of the green rubber itself which is rolled in layers is great. Such deformation in the green rubber causes troubles in molding in a later process, and the uniformity of obtained products is markedly poor.
Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 15, an elongated member storing device has been proposed in which a spacer 102 is mounted to and integral with either end of a liner 103. A space d is formed between the outer side portion of a green rubber member 101, which is taken-up onto the reel via the liner 103, and the inner side portion of the liner 103, so as to prevent deformation of the green rubber member 101.
Further as illustrated in FIG. 16, an elongated member storing device has been proposed in which receiving members 204, 205 are provided, along a swirled line having a standard interval k around a center axis C of the reel, at opposing sides of a pair of opposing rotating members 202, 203. Due to the receiving members 204, 205, an elongated member 201 is wound via a liner 206, and a space d is formed between the outer side portion of the wound elongated member 201 and the inner side portion of the liner 206. In this way, plastic deformation of the green rubber product can be prevented.
In the device in which the spacers 102 are made integral at the both ends of the liner 103 (see FIG. 15) and the device provided with the pair of receiving members 204, 205 disposed along a swirled line having standard intervals between respective wound layers (see FIG. 16), plastic deformation of the green rubber product is prevented due to the space d being formed between the outer side portion of the wound elongated product and the inner side portion of the liner.
There are green rubber products of various different thicknesses, and thus, in the above-described storing devices illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16, the spiral interval d is determined on the basis of the thickest green rubber product.
As a result, when a thinner green rubber member is wound, the interval d is large and the wound length of the green rubber member is short, and thus, the winding efficiency is poor.
In order to overcome this problem, a plurality of types of liners 103 whose spacers 102 have different thicknesses may be readied, or a plurality of types of devices having different spiral intervals d may be readied. However, this results in drawbacks such as increased costs and poor efficiency of use.
In view of the aforementioned, an object of the present invention is to provide a device and a method for storing an elongated plastically deformable member in which, even if an elongated plastically deformable member such as green rubber or the like is stored in a state of being wound in superposed layers, deformation of portions of the elongated plastically deformable member and non-uniform deformation of the elongated plastically deformable member can be suppressed.
In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention is a device for use in storing an elongated plastically deformable member wound on a take-up reel with a thin-plate-shaped liner superposed with the elongated plastically deformable member, the take-up reel having an axis which is substantially horizontal, the device comprising a rotating means adapted to rotate the take-up reel at least one of constantly and intermittently.
Further, a method of the present invention for storing an elongated plastically deformable member wound on a take-up reel together with a thin-plate-shaped liner superposed with the elongated plastically deformable member, the take-up reel having an axis which is substantially horizontal, comprises the step of rotating the take-up reel at least one of constantly and intermittently.
In this first aspect of the present invention, when a take-up reel, on whose outer peripheral surface are wound a superposed thin-plate-shaped liner and an elongated plastically deformable member, is set in a state in which the axis of the take-up reel is substantially horizontal with respect to a setting surface, the take-up reel is rotated at least one of constantly or intermittently by the rotating means.
Because the take-up reel is rotated constantly or intermittently, during storing, the load of the wound elongated plastically deformable member itself is applied uniformly to the entire wound circumference and does not concentrate at particular portions, even after time passes. Therefore, collapsing deformation caused thereby is made uniform along the longitudinal direction, and differences in a configuration of the elongated plastically deformable member between the respective wound layers do not arise.
Here, xe2x80x9calways rotatedxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cconstantly rotatedxe2x80x9d means xe2x80x9ccontinuously rotatedxe2x80x9d, but may include stopping for an instant such as when reversing rotation (a period of time in which configurational differences which adversely affect the uniformity of the product are not caused between the respective wound layers of the elongated plastically deformable member; this time varies in accordance with the wound amount, the flexibility, and the like of the elongated plastically deformable member).
In a second aspect of the present invention, in the device for use in storing an elongated plastically deformable member according to the first aspect, the rotating means rotates the take-up reel over a given angle in a first direction of rotation, and thereafter, the rotating mechanism rotates the take-up reel in another direction, and alternately repeats rotating in said first direction and said another direction of rotation.
Further, a method of the present invention for storing an elongated plastically deformable member wound on a take-up reel together with a thin-plate-shaped liner superposed with the elongated plastically deformable member, the take-up reel having an axis which is substantially horizontal, comprises the step of rotating the take-up reel at least one of constantly and intermittently.
The member which is being taken-up and stored with the liner is an elongated plastically deformable member such as a green rubber product. An unvulcanized green rubber is plastic, and is easily deformed when mechanical stress is applied thereto. Therefore, if, during storage, the take-up reel is continuously rotated in the same direction as the direction in which the green rubber product is wound, the winding of the wound green rubber product will tighten. If the take-up reel is continuously rotated in the direction opposite the direction in which the green rubber product is wound, the winding of the wound green rubber product will loosen.
In accordance with the present aspect, after the take-up reel is rotated over a given angle, the direction of rotation is changed, and this rotation and changing of the direction of rotation are repeated. Therefore, tightening of the winding or loosening of the winding of the elongated plastically deformable member taken-up on the take-up reel can be prevented.
Here, it is preferable that the given angle is 180xc2x0 or an integer multiple of 180xc2x0.
In a third aspect of the present invention, in the device for storing an elongated plastically deformable member, the rotating means has pair of rollers which abut the take-up reel.
In the present aspect, the take-up reel is disposed on the pair of rollers, and by rotating the rollers, the take-up reel is rotated.
In a fourth aspect, one roller of the pair of rollers is a drive roller connected to a rotating driving means, and the other roller is a driven roller.
In accordance with the present aspect, the drive roller is rotated by the rotating driving means, and the take-up reel is thereby rotated. Due to the rotation of the take-up reel, the driven roller abutting the reel rotates.
In a fifth aspect of the present invention, the driven roller is connected to a moving means, and when the driven roller is moved from a first position to a second position, the take-up reel is raised up off of the setting surface by the driven roller and the drive roller.
In accordance with the present aspect, the driven roller is provided so as to be able to be moved by the moving means. When the driven roller is positioned at the first position, the take-up reel is disposed on the setting surface. As a result, the take-up reel can be loaded in and removed from the device for storing an elongated plastically deformable member by being rolled on the setting surface. At the next stage, when the take-up reel is disposed between the driven roller and the drive roller, the driven roller is moved from the first position to the second position and the take-up reel is raised up off of the setting surface by the driven roller and the drive roller. As a result, the take-up reel is supported and rotated by the driven roller and the drive roller.
In a sixth aspect of the present invention, the driven roller is removably provided.
In accordance with the present aspect, if the driven roller gets in the way when the take-up reel is attached or removed, the driven roller is removed, so that the work of attaching or removing the take-up reel is facilitated.